HUGE Breakthrough!!!!! Energy Svavengers!

[Buggyout]

Just found this article online. Scientists have developed the technology to harvest background energies; Microwave, sound, friction. THIS is HUGE! They have developed a device that can scavenge microwaves at the same output as solar cells!!!!

ARE YOU GUYS GETTING THIS?

This is no joke. No "perpetual motion machine" or "1000 mile gas engine"

This is the real deal. The holy grail of energy.

I didn't think it would come in my lifetime. :confused: Keep your eye on this, if you have money to invest, do it!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2493931/New-device-harvests-electricity-background-radiation-like-Wi-Fi.html

-buggy

[myakka]

This is very cool.

[Schneb]

I dunno.

(holds back of hand to forehead and sighs melodramatically) It's just that I've been hurt so many times before.

I remember 3 exciting breakthrough versions of technology that were sorta like this:

a) using magnets to get power--guy was on the Tonight Show, had some national level attention, etc. He had a background as an inventor/tinkerer: somehow patented the version of plastic-cased free weights, or something like. That was probably about 25-30 yrs. ago.

result: nothing ever happened

b) Honda or Toyota--or some company like that--had a solar powered, home-based electrolysis system that would heat a house and heat the water for the house, and give a way to refuel hydrogen powered vehicles. Had to work out the kinks on the car's storage cell that would hold the hydrogen--so it would be a bit less volatile, but there were lots of glossy publicity for a brief little while. That was maybe 10 yrs ago--??

result: nothing ever happened

c) the whole cold fusion thing from 20+ years ago.

result: nothing ever happened

I hope this it the real thing--I'd love it if it was. That it's got photos and specific names of who's involved, and is coming from Duke University--and isn't just being reported on internet websites, but is coming from a commercial news outlet, all of that makes it seem a bit more solid.

And we're due for something like this. Seems like, anyway. The idea that we're still burning stuff to run things is, well, pretty archaic. Discoveries in terms of nanotech and the recent focus on solar and ever-more efficient batteries and LED lights and so on, all seem like the right sort of background to produce this kind of development.

(maybe you can see why I keep getting my hopes up, eh? I'm already talking myself into this being--maybe--the real deal. One born every minute often applies to yours truly.)

[Applejack]

interesting. will be keeping an eye on this one.

[Buggyout]

I dunno.

(holds back of hand to forehead and sighs melodramatically) It's just that I've been hurt so many times before.

I remember 3 exciting breakthrough versions of technology that were sorta like this:

a) using magnets to get power--guy was on the Tonight Show, had some national level attention, etc. He had a background as an inventor/tinkerer: somehow patented the version of plastic-cased free weights, or something like. That was probably about 25-30 yrs. ago.

result: nothing ever happened

b) Honda or Toyota--or some company like that--had a solar powered, home-based electrolysis system that would heat a house and heat the water for the house, and give a way to refuel hydrogen powered vehicles. Had to work out the kinks on the car's storage cell that would hold the hydrogen--so it would be a bit less volatile, but there were lots of glossy publicity for a brief little while. That was maybe 10 yrs ago--??

result: nothing ever happened

c) the whole cold fusion thing from 20+ years ago.

result: nothing ever happened

I hope this it the real thing--I'd love it if it was. That it's got photos and specific names of who's involved, and is coming from Duke University--and isn't just being reported on internet websites, but is coming from a commercial news outlet, all of that makes it seem a bit more solid.

And we're due for something like this. Seems like, anyway. The idea that we're still burning stuff to run things is, well, pretty archaic. Discoveries in terms of nanotech and the recent focus on solar and ever-more efficient batteries and LED lights and so on, all seem like the right sort of background to produce this kind of development.

(maybe you can see why I keep getting my hopes up, eh? I'm already talking myself into this being--maybe--the real deal. One born every minute often applies to yours truly.)

There is a certain amount of false hope on new technologies. There has always been adversity to new technologies as well. The oil industry, I have no doubt has had a hand in quashing new energy technology. My hope would be that mankind has evolved enough during the last 50 years to see that burning fossil fuels can be replaced. I never thought that the car "Hybrid" would ever take off, but it did. Imagine if this energy scavenging was incorporated in the hybrid design?

I guess I am a visionary. We'll see how it all pans out.

-Buggy

[Schneb]

In the 'Axis of Time' series of novels (U.S./allies' naval fleet of the near future is zapped back in time to WW2--to the eve of the Battle of Midway; a great read in a lot of ways) the author, John Birmingham presents a version of near-future military tech that seems well informed and has even--in terms of drones--been in keeping with developments. Part of that is that laptops, heads-up display/helmet-cam-type military gear, eye-in-the-sky drones, etc. all run off solar charging skins so batteries aren't really an issue.

Seeing is believing, but the way lasers were developed from sci fi concepts points to this sort of thing being a possibility.

We're so early in the development of solar that I'd expect we'll still see HUGE strides made in efficiency. Early steam engines were used in the early 1700s and then Watt figured a major improvement in the mid/late 1700s that allowed much more power. By 100s yrs of steam power, they were still only starting to get the hang of the technology, but were already doing a lot with it.

If we play our cards right, I think we can have a faster pace of break-throughs with solar--but I'm prone to talking myself into optimistic ways of thinking.

[Applejack]

Haven't heard anything more about this one. Wonder if Buggy has got any news on it. This was an interesting concept back in 2013.